Living conditions
The "assembly centers" were hastily erected quarters located throughout the West Coast at fairgrounds, racetracks and other similar facilities. Conditions at these locations were appalling. People were housed in animal stalls and barracks with communal bathrooms and mess halls. Privacy was next to nonexistent. Most families lived in a 20-by-20-foot room separated from the next "apartment" by wood partitions that did not reach the ceiling. Shortages of food and deplorable sanitation were common. Overcrowding, uncertainty, and stress created tension in the "assembly centers," even as the demoralized camp inmates tried to improve living conditions.
World War II
(231)
Temporary Assembly Centers
(232)
Living conditions
(395)
![Japanese American receiving lunch (ddr-densho-36-42)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/f9/2b/f92bc768ee9a6815d1491497b2d8b67b.jpg)
![Baggage arrival at assembly center (ddr-densho-36-41)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/f9/1f/f91f98e84f52b0be3df831bf8f08f509.jpg)
![Japanese American washing clothes (ddr-densho-36-36)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/e3/21/e321cc674a995a3b08b2423e3e6ff805.jpg)
![Barracks interior (ddr-densho-36-39)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/e3/59/e3599638ef686c31cce7011947c2c9ea.jpg)
![Arrival at the Puyallup Assembly Center (ddr-densho-36-32)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/cd/4a/cd4a2ace83549fb438b5fbf3ae2f682c.jpg)
![Amache camp housing (ddr-densho-390-64)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/3c/4d/3c4d9e4a37ef3c4ac66c2cbe416dc7b4.jpg)
![Drawing of the south east corner of Tanforan (ddr-densho-392-23)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/94/7a/947a32f5b023a43eaf27521983d3e350.jpg)
![Drawing from the middle of the race track at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-1)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/0f/ef/0fef58d49bc773cd5a0e731fbc5ecc37.jpg)
![Drawing from the center of the racetrack at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-24)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/19/95/1995c78845d7a18602fd841c547349b3.jpg)
![Drawing of the inside of a shower room at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-21)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/8b/5f/8b5f50b4ee8dc0d05ed825e0f75c352b.jpg)
![Drawing of the latrine and barracks at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-8)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/81/99/81998c59c9a767699fc91da33cc2da74.jpg)
![Drawing of the music school at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-5)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/ab/ff/abff643b4c64aec626d0b99d204e3a1d.jpg)
![Drawing of the latrine and barracks at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-6)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/3a/a6/3aa6ee98b83121811917daff94a39a0c.jpg)
![Drawing of the view from the top of the grandstand at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-12)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/e0/b1/e0b1f940c1f96d6c06883741e9287e8c.jpg)
![Drawing inside the laundry room at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-25)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/a9/97/a997d3e611c69f13ce8ec07bed576f3c.jpg)
![Drawing of warehouses and the music conservatory at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-17)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/cc/28/cc28e8e2edbfac98d3c3354be89371f2.jpg)
![Drawing of the latrines at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-19)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/fb/13/fb1331ee26270fc4eb14e80067b0108a.jpg)
![Drawing of recreation hall #6 at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-16)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/fc/24/fc245226d93b590766ea6892a23db659.jpg)
![Drawing of recreation hall #6 headquarters at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-18)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/b8/62/b8625b491332763618addbf5f340f786.jpg)
![Drawing of the northwest corner Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-14)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/2c/6d/2c6da178f94e56394502a38e999f298f.jpg)
![Drawing of the barracks at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-13)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/b0/96/b09696359b893993de971092f49c68a5.jpg)
![Drawing of the inside of a classroom at Tanforan Assembly Center (ddr-densho-392-22)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/ac/47/ac477a9d2973771d14228c29698c3c21.jpg)